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| Jamalpur: | The ............ (5/10/05 to ~~/~~/~~) | |
| Dhaka Division Dhaka Faridpur Gazipur Gopalganj Jamalpur Kishoreganj Madaripur Manikganj Munshiganj Mymensingh Narayanganj Narsingdi Netrokona Rajbari Shariatpur Sherpur Tangail Chittagong Division Khulna Division Rajshahi Division Barisal Division Sylhet Division |
After crossing the river Brahmaputra by ferry I had to cycle till 1215 PM to reach the DC office. On the way, I took pictures of "Jamalpur District School" which was established at 1881. I also saw a banner mentioning that the "Camp of Dhaka Divisions Red Crescent Youth" took place at the district stadium. Reaching the office I find that the DC was attending a meeting at the Seminar room within the office. I wait till 1:30 PM when he return to his room at the lunch break of the meeting. I met him very soon and listening to me he ordered his staffs to prepare the letter for me. I got this letter at 2:30 PM. Then I went to the stadium to see if there was anyone I knew. Well, lot of years has passed since I left Red Crescent therefore got none known to me. But when they knew that I was also involved with Red Crescent they were very happy to talk about those youth of Dhaka I knew. Later, I meet Mr. Shafiq, the Security in-charge of that camp who was a youth of Jamalpur District. He asked me to have the lunch with him. He also told me that Martin of Dhaka has attended here and he starts looking for Martin. After waiting for a long time when they were unable to find Martin I left the area. Then I went to the rail station area to meet some person I knew. I was unable to find them though I searched a lot. Then I went to the office of Mr. Afzal Hossain Bishwash, Police Super of the districts. I have heard a lot about him by national newspaper. He was who helped "Nolok" in various way (The Champion of First "Bangladeshi Idol"). Personally I believe that anuone who helps a meritorious person is also a meritorious person himself. Therefore I always had this wish to meet him instead of meeting Mr. Nolok. Well, he was a nice man, gave me some of his precious time, asked me if I can help him in any ways. Later I left his office and asking people about the nearest Upazila center. I understood that it is not possible for me to reach any Upazila center before dark. So, I went to the DC office again and asked NDC if he can arrange any accommodation for me to pass the night only. He had no room at circuit house so he phoned to the Rural Electrification Board of Jamalpur and instruct them to provide a room for me. This office was about 5/6 KM away from the town. Then I went there and meet the caretaker Mr. Rafiq. First he asked me to take rest in one of their own room while he will manage the keys of rest house which were not with him then. Then I start recording diary in the camera. Finishing the diary I paddled back to the town to reach Press Club. There I met a lot of reporters and the welcomed me very well. I met Manzu Bhai (District Representative of national Daily Prothom Alo) who gave me a lot of his time. He told me various things about Jamalpur. Later he asked me to have supper with him. After the supper he introduced me with some of his friends at town. Later I went to the rest house and slept soon. I left the rest house before 7 o'clock and went to the town straight. Took some pictures over there (Shaheed Minar, Doyamoyi Mandir, Saloon, Memorial of 1971 and a Hiostorical Tree) and seek some ways if I can left a few of these pic for Manzu Bhai. When I did not find any way to do so I decided to start cycling for Bagura. I choose the road to Bagura through the Sarishabari Upazila of Jamalpur. For this reason I start cycling back towards that rest house as the road to Sarishabari goes beside that. On my way I stopped at the truck stand to have my breakfast. Wao! What a food that was. Excellent Variation with great taste. I enjoyed the breakfast very well. Took some pictures and left that place. After crossing the rest house I stayed, the scenery beside the roads starts to change. Soon I reach an office of BADC. I met the DD Syed Sarwar Jahan and AD Mirza Shafiqul Islam of that office (Contract Growers Zone, Jamalpur). From there they helped me to contact the AD (Seed Potato) BADC Bagura Mr. Arefin. He was a friend of Hasan Bhai (AD of BADC Tangail). Arefin Bhai told me that he will wait to receive me and I should give him a phone after reaching the Bagura Town. At 1030 AM I took a pic with them and start for Sarishabari. After one hour when I was asking people at Jagannathganj Ghat of Sarishabari for the boats to go to Sariakandi Ghat of Bagura, they told me that there is no boat service available from here to cross the river. Recently there were too much sand island arise in the river Jamuna between Sarishabari and Sariakandi. The only better way to reach the Sariakandi is to catch the boat service from Madarganj as from there boats left for Sariakandi three times a day. The last boat left from there is at 3 o'clock. So, without wasting a single second I paddled as fast as I could. At "Vatara Bazar" I stopped and eat something as lunch. After I came to Balijuri Bazar people told me that the there is no chance for me to catch the last boat of 3 o'clock as I had to cross a huge distance over sands. There I would not be able to cycle instead I have to carry the cycle and walk. At this situation someone else told me that I might catch some other boats carrying Chilies to Bagura. These boats left the ghat just before dark and usually they do not carry passengers. I took my chances and start towards that ghat. I cycled, I walked. Just after the sunset I saw the ghat but knew that the last boat left the ghat few minutes back. The man who assured me was the carrier of a horse-pulled cart (Suitable vehicle on those sands) for Chilies. He told me that he was the last person to unload his cart at the ghat and the ghat is totally empty at this moment. It was already dark and I return towards the Balijuri Bazar. After some times that man went to his house on that area and I reach Balijuri at 8:45 PM. From there I start towards the Madarganj and find the caretaker at Dakbunglow of the Upazila. The caretaker told me get permission from the UNO and his residence was not so close to that place. Yet I went there and met him before 9:45 PM. At first he was not even interested to meet me. Later he came listen my identity checked my papers and finally phone to NDC to be sure I am not a suspicious person. Then he told me that I may pass my night at the Government Officers Dormitory if it has any empty seats. With a local guard Mr. Badal accompanying me, I reached there and got a seat. On the way I bought some dry foods as no hotels or restaurants were available at that time. There was no electricity and I start to record my diary. Later the electricity came and I made some phonecalls to Dhaka before sleep. I woke up after 6 o'clock but I tried to lay on bed a little more. I knew that the first boat from the ghat will start at 11 o'clock and to cover a way of 2 hours I should start not before 8 o'clock. So, I left the dormitory about 8 o'clock taking some pic. On the way, I meet Mr. Badal and took his pic too. Then I take my breakfast and went to the Boat Ghat of last night, "Chaluabari Ferry Ghat". I was pulling my cycle over the sands most of the time and often the chain got loose. So, it took me exactly two hours to reach there. I also met Mr. Badiuzzaman the driver of that cart (Horse-driven) on the way. I reached there before 10:45 AM. There on the ghat I left my cycle at a side and walk around that area. It was a great experience for me to see some "Dolphins of Sweet-Water". I took some video of them and took lots of pic of that area. At 11:15 they took my cycle at the boat and I ride on it too but the boat starts at 11:45 AM. They told me this boat will reach at Sariakandi after one hour. Within 30 minutes after the boat starts it's engine stopped suddenly. After few minutes we another boat find us floating and they agreed to grab our boat's rope. Now we were going with the power of that boat. Suddenly the passengers of that other boat claimed that they would miss the Haat (Weekly Market) if their boat will help our boat. It's true that the other boat was not going according to it's horse power as it had to carry load nearly double than it does. So, the boatman of that boat release the rope of our boat and we start to float again with the current of the river. From now, sometime the boat was facing its head ahead and sometimes its tail ahead towards Sariakandi (Thanks God, the current on the river was floating towards Sariakandi). Sometimes it was going towards small islands on the river and our boatman did his best to keep his boat away from those. Once the boat will touch it we will be stuck on the island. I took a lot of pics and videos by these times. Meanwhile, the boatmen were also trying their best to re-start the engine. After a long time the engine starts and we were happy to see our chances to reach Sariakandi. |
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